Giovanni Pernice has vowed to 'clear his name' over allegations of 'abusive behaviour' while on Strictly Come Dancing . The 33-year-old Italian joined the BBC dance competition in 2015 and has since hit the headlines as much for his life off-screen as his moves on the dance floor. It was revealed last week that Giovanni's name was not among this year's roster of Strictly's professional dancers on a leaked internal memo, sparking rumours he had quit .
The BBC reportedly launched an investigation into the Siciliy-born star, while Giovanni took to social media to reject any suggestion that he has acted inappropriately. In his written statement on Saturday, Giovanni said: "To my dear fans, You will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week. Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name.
"Those who have followed my journey on Strictly Come Dancing over the last decade will know that I am passionate and competitive. No-one is more ambitious for my dance partners than me. I have always striven to help them be the very best dancers they can be.
This has always come from a place of love and wanting to win - for me and my dance partners. Thank you all once again for your continued love and support! Giovanni." As the dancer faces backlash over his tough training methods, the Mirror takes a look at his life off-screen, from his celebrity feuds to his stagg.
